Deployment of BVAS technology in Saturday election a masterstroke says Aviation Minister

—says, cash crunch won’t affect outcome
Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika has hailed the seamless conduct of the Presidential elections, attributing the development to the deployment of the Biomodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in the process by the electoral umpire.

Sirika spoke to newsmen, Saturday, immediately after he cast his vote at Sirika Ward, Polling Unit 004 located at Dubawa Gari Primary Tank in Dutsi Local Government Area of Katsina State.

Even as he denied claims that the recent Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) cashless policy and the fuel crisis will have an impact on the election’s results.

He said that the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) implementation of BVAS was a genius move that put an end to the previously alarming incidence of rigging that marred elections in the past.

“I am very excited and I am very happy. I’m very glad and I thank technology, that the voting is so smooth, peaceful and without rancour. This is a departure from what we experienced in 2003, 2007 and 2011.”

The Minister of Aviation recalled an instance where, in his words, “ballot stuffing in the boxes, snatching of the boxes themselves, thuggery and beating up and scaring and intimidating voters” were common practices in election voting.

“We are here within our people, peacefully exercising our rights, as you have witnessed, with no rancour whatsoever. And it’s so smooth and efficient, and the process happens within minutes. I came here within six and a half minutes. From the time I greeted everybody to the time I was in the queue, to the confirmation by the BVAS all the way to the ballot paper and thumb-printing and coming out is an exercise that took me less than six and half minutes.

“So, yes it is very smooth and yes it is very efficient. Yes, we see the development of democracy. In 2007 I was a candidate for the Senate. Even before collation started they had announced the winner, which was not me. It was the candidate of the other party, the PDP at that time. He was announced as a winner even before the collation.

“Today it is not possible. Today your vote will be counted and it will count.”

He urged Nigerian to be optimistic and “hopeful that a candidate and the party we chose will emerge, by the grace of God, as victorious.

He dismissed suggestions that the cash crunch and fuel issues in the country will affect the outcome of the elections.

He said, “human beings have no price. Voters have no price. He who volunteers to serve you is more than he who you paid money to serve you. These people understand their rights, they understand their purpose of being here, to exercise their fundamental rights which they are doing with no rancour.

“Nobody was paid a dime to come here, and this polling unit is packed full. Therefore, the issue of cashless policy affects elections, some people are just trying to hide their weaknesses and their failure to be able to serve the people well. People have been here long before, they understand the effect of governance. They understand why they should vote. Noble men and women are coming to vote for this election.

“Therefore I think it is wrong and a misnomer for people to continue to peddle that cashless policy is affecting the election, how? You have seen for yourselves here.”